The True Hack Squat 

Im in my 20s and lost faith, your channel gives me hope, pacience is the most dificult part... thanks for your channel

The one thing so great is there’s always a pathway you show to start these exercises, whatever someone’s level is. Shows that anyone can get there regardless of how much ability they have

I found a gym with a sled finally and discovered just how weak my quads and knees really are. I can't wait to work on this more.

I actually hope you know how much impact you’ve meant to people bc my happiness comes from playing and sports being active without pain, you are super appreciated!

Simple, effective editing to very clearly show the hack squat progression. Great stuff, invaluable information!

There are so many things the Golden Era weight lifters knew we are forgetting.

Ben, I greatly admire how, despite your passion and conviction, you never fall prey to negativity and consistently remind us that you are not here to judge others for following a different journey. It is difficult to devote yourself to a cause and maintain a level head. The mark of maturity and wisdom. Cheers.

Love your content! You healed my knees 🙌🏻

You’ve changed my life dude, sled pull backwards became a staple in my training, I can’t thank you enough

You are such a WINNER, with such a positive attitude to help people. God Bless!

I have been doing these for several months and love it

Your best video presentation, of the forty or so, that I’ve seen. I’ve been gradually working with your ATG exercises for around ten months, and my 64 year-old arthritic-acting knee has already shed over 80% of its pain. Truly astonishing. Before I found your video tutorials, I had lost the ability to pedal standing on my bicycle. And I had to stop sprint (run) training around five years ago. Now, I can run moderately with no knee discomfort! Very optimistic about sprinting freely again! On the bike, I can once again get up out of the saddle on the uphills, or for bursts of sprinting- with no pain. Truly incredible. Also incredible, is that my knee doesn’t hurt, after sitting behind the wheel of my car. Not sure how many years that has been! Thanks for sharing your research and pioneering rehabilitative/training techniques!

I’ve always felt like gym nowadays are lacking these information. It’s always about getting stronger and lift heavier but stretching and preventing injury is discuss minimally. Your channel is a gold thank you so much

Man because of you I began to take a look at material I had purchased over the years involving old school training. And have since incorporated these types of exercises in my repertoire. Thanks for debunking all the myths that were shoveled down our throats. 💪🏻

Thank you for all you do and share!!

I have a slight issue with big toe when I try on toes squat, so I will try doing it on a slant board (when I acquire one). Thank you, Ben, for all your research, trial, and errors, and for sharing with anyone who needs it. I and people appreciate it.

I do these KB Hindu like squats all the time. One of my all time favorites and doesn't require much weight. Glad to see more people doing this one.

first time i saw this exercice was in an old video of yours and im grateful for that knowledge, greetings from Brazil

Really appreciate your work and generosity! I've seen major gains over the last 6 months-- hoping to dunk by 40 (almost 38).

I've been following you for a while now. Got your book first and then purchased a slant board and ATG buddies. Hope to save up to get a backwards treadmill next. I incorporate a lot of your techniques in my workouts and I definitely notice a difference. Keep up the good work.

Wishing you all the success in the world mate, this training especially your shoulder videos saved my surfing in my 40s

So glad Joe Rogan mentioned you on one of his podcasts!! Thank you for sharing your knowledge.

Such vital information, I really appreciate your work!

Love watching your videos Ben keep up the good work thank you 🇮🇪

I really need to start this stuff!

I love the hack squat sled. When I first started using it my knees were sore. Now I put my feet low on the platform and go well beyond knees over toes. Absolutely the best quad builder I’ve done.

This guy is a revolution❤️🙏🏻 thank you so much Ben

Fantastic brief compilation. Thank you!

100 + days of forward/backward sled multiple times a week, ATG split squat, and weighted slant squat once or twice a week. The difference is noticeable. Thank You.

Love this guy. Deserves all the success he's earned.

My knees are iron now and my quads are ripped thank you for all your help over the years man ❤.

I found the full video!!! 🥳🥳👏🏻👏🏻🙏🏽🙏🏽 very thankful . I always thought that knees over toes was not safe ! With this MCL tear I’m now more interested in mobility training but especially strengthen joints … It would be great if you added the Thanks $ button to these videos… I’m not on a position to afford $50/ mo but I still would like to show appreciation in whatever amt is affordable… if you have one under each video eventually it will add up …

I have better knee health in my 40s than I ever did in my 20s!! Many blessings ❤

No Thank you very much. Struggling with depression but will train with your guidance always

You are a godsend brother

Thanks very much for posting this. I've been struggling to get pain free knees. I'll add this to my routine.

Thank you Ben, great job.

This is incredible! You are awesome Knees over toes

Thanksgiving for your support Ben, I love the HACKmachine and I have restored my strength with it… PR 540lbs 8 reps… got to keep working hard.

I'd say the lowest level of deep knee flexion is not an assisted and elevated ATG Split Squat but a full leg extension with ankle weights. There is a video on the fitness youtube channel upright health where he proposes progressions to the VMO squat. First progression to weaker people with bad knees being getting confortable and stronger in a deep knee bend with a full leg extension with ankle weigts, then as you progress an elevated ATG Split Squat like the one you do, then as time passes and the knee gets stronger an ATG Split Squat on the floor and as ultimate exercise and last phase of the progression the VMO squat. I do really think that this leg extension makes the barrier of early ATG Zero for knee injured people easier because getting an ATG Split Squat is hard.

Pulled 600lb hack squat (behind the back deadlift i call it) Such a quality movement

Ive been doing sled, split squats, and now the true hack squat for 2 weeks. The sled, I've been doing for longer, but I can tell you I can jump around, do the griddy, you name it. The health is back and I didn't even know I lost it.

You earned a subscriber. Keep it up king

As a baseball catcher for almost 20 years I didnt know this was such a difficult movement for a lot of people. Kind of just took it for granted. Basically lived in the squat position. The knees over toes is the relaxed position and can stay like that for a long long time. Im just getting back into strength training. I virtually did nothing for the past 8 years. Became overweight, but im doing a lot better now. Even years after I stopped playing my quads and calves are still pretty solid lol.

Oh wow thanks that is definitely coming straight into my program. Had no idea these were the original hack squats! Like you allude to, they are pretty much the opposite squat from what the machine offers. These feel so good! New and previously unheard of levels of popping sounds in my knees though, hope that`s all good as long as there is no pain! What a quad pump!

Your inspiration led me to begin knee mobility exercises, and the results have been remarkable-my knees now feel incredibly strong. However, I've slightly diverged from your original guidance by opting not to wear shoes. I've come to believe that shoes might actually limit the full potential of our legs, impacting muscle engagement and recruitment during exercises. Interestingly, I've managed to complete a hack squat with an additional 20kg, a feat I'd never attempted before, all thanks to going barefoot. Your advice has been truly transformative, thank you! Embracing barefoot training might just be the key.

Ive gota anterior pelvic tilt that im trying to correct This was very informative and will help me heaps,great video mate❤

Thank you ❤

I Love this squat variation thankyou for your work

Bens training methods show the incredible ability of the body to adapt IF programmed correctly, like Bodybuilder Leroy Colbert said the only difference between your body and a machine is the body will adjust a machine will break down

You r a hero this content is life chsnging

Yeah listen thank you so much this is awesome

Just subbed to your channel and wanted to thank you for having videos that at their "core' (see what I did there) advocate truth within Exercise Science. I consider myself a "HIT nerd" but always attempt to keep an open-mind when hearing outside concepts and ideas, especially with items in the realms of "functional" training. God Bless you and Love you, let's make America Healthy.

Thank you I have had two back surgeries and I was on pain pills two for over a decade I still need another one strictly to take out my spinal stimulator and battery on my right hip I am currently dealing with pain because of it but glute exercises have helped my pain so so much glute bridges deadlifts and stretching all of it helps saying what u said helps me too❤😊

You have a pretty remarkable comeback story of perseverance, my dude. Have you looked into peptides for injury healing and athletic performance? I’m about halfway through my first round of BPC-157 and it’s making a difference for me and there are many more types that help in different ways. I think peptides would seriously augment the great work you do, especially for older people.

This how all video should be, was really impressed on my first exposure.

As usual, AMAZINGLY helpful content!🙏🏼🤗

I love kettlebell hack squats, I do them at least once a week and we have two hack squat machines at my gym, but I like working on my balance. I can do them with a 90lbs kettlebell so far.

Excellent video and information. Hackenschmidt was still around when i started lifting. As powerlifters, we all did his hack squats.

My favorite is the ambulance and fire truck in the background. Reminds me of when my kids were that age we had those around, but I was in no shape to be making YT videos :D

Incredible. Jumping in one’s 80s is seriously impressive

I am 73 and when I started with your method I could only do 3 slant board squats, now 4-6 month later I can do 2 sets of 19 slant squats, I have been doing the split squats too starting on a chair and have progressed to at the floor level now, using a buddy wedge.

no miniscus in my right knee after 20 yrs of logging ...letting it slip out of socket and "popping" it back in finally ended badly for me. Im 50 wont stop, Spent 28 years x-c skiing at a level most never achieve so my calves are fuken monsters. Id love to work with you on my next years goals if your up for it brother.

Ben, isn't it kind of fascinating that what was once a massive cross for you to bear (knee troubles, knee surgery, pain killers) turns out to be a major advantage, in that if you presented all this knee bulletproofing info and you were were just your typical young, strong, uninjured stud, then the info you present would be FAR LESS compelling and credible but given that you have built bullet proof knees built from the wreckage that was your knee after surgery, the info you present carries so much more meaning to the masses out there who have knee and body issues they (we!) are trying to conquer. Thank you Ben!

I love the idea of making an exercise easier and easier until you CAN do it, then building from there.

He also liked to do neck bridge floor presses which is just insane to me. But he had a huge neck. He was a freak natty athlete.

Thanks for teaching me that I can stay fit at any age. Got your and book love it. I'm also not as disciplined as I could be in working the book. So... At 65, I have built squats in to my daily routine. I took out the tall adult toilet and replaced it with a 10 inch high child's toilet. It's 11 inches high after replacing the child seat with an adult seat and cover. I Know, To Much Information! My goal being to become even stronger every day as I have to slow squat to sit on the toilet then get up multiple times a day. I reasoned that people in third world countries, much older than me are doing their business every day in a squat. It's not age that makes us weak and stiff it's sitting on chairs and couches. And lack of novel movement. Love that this channel is full of novel movement. I also sit on a six ground cushion at my low computer desk. So I'm getting up from the floor many times a day. I do keep a few chairs around for friends to sit on when they visit. LOL

Thank you!

New subscriber. You've given me hope.

So many exercises can be modified and or accentuated with Kettlebells. It's crazy to see people still not adopting using them either fully or in addition to their training.

Interesting. Just tried this with a 15kg kettlebell and I can do them no problem. I'm surprised since I don't go to the gym and I don't squat that often, and when I do I'm not very strong. I do walk and move a lot though. Guess I just have good knee and ankle movility.

Good Morning Ben, Love this video .....thank you for it. In it you mention a chin up helping machine, what can someone do to help being able to do chin ups if you don't have a machine to help the beginner. I can now jump up and hold my chin over the bar for 11 counts and then lower slowly down but still can not pull up from the floor without the assistance of jumping.

Cool! I'll try this instead of a typical squat or sumo squat.

Thanks so much

Can’t wait to start your program after I get my ACL+Meniscus surgeries

Thanks for the intel !

A comment from a Joey Swol video sent me here, as we were discussing hip issues. I had surgery for AFI (hip scope and syvenectomy of labrum) in 2014 and my poor hip has never been the same since. Hoping these workouts help!

Gold!!! Thanks brother!!

can't straighten my right leg sitting 90° upright, causes sciatica pain. Been like this since 8 months. Any tips?

Once again...Awesome sir!!!

Can we get a video on how to program kot with powelifting?

Thanks💯👍👊

Goblet squats are limited, do zercher with a slant board if you want to progress

I love your content... so useful as a trainer. X

Thanks for sharing 🙏🏾

THANK YOU!

Currently I workout at home. I only have 25lb of loading weight, and it’s not practical to get more. I have gotten good at true hack squats (without load) I also have a slantboard. Which do you think I should progress in? My thought is, since I already have a lot of experience in regular full ROM squats(have done 330 for 3), and given the limited loading weight I have atm, it might make more sense to progress in the hack squat, which I have much less experience in. Or would you still prioritize a full range slant squat over the hack? Btw, my goal is elite athleticism for basketball and field sports. Thanks!

What angle is your slant board? 30deg? I want to cobble up my own from wood & non-skid material I have Keep up your inspirational work 👍 Thank You!

So does, for instance, cartilage within joints have the ability to regenerate or get stronger? Have there been any conclusive studies on this? I see so many conflicted sources on this matter, and not a straight answer (in my experience). Great vid btw.

❤ from MALAYSIA

Hey Patrick! I am currently trying to improve my jumping ability using many of these exercises that you preach. My knees seem to handle loaded slant squats, so would it make sense to skip out on the ATG split squat and backwards sledding? Or is there some benefit from either of those workouts that I would not get from slant squats? I am trying to keep my program as simple as possible (I am doing leg extensions, nordic curls, and weighted tib raises as well). Thanks for all that you do!

i like doing hacken squat with two dumbells. a little bit challenging for balance (at least at start) but very good exercise. especially with lighter weight in some deload phase to emphasise the range of motion...

Watching for the first time. That deep squat motion i learned as what's called the "Hindu Squat", popularized (somewhat, at the time) by Matt Furey. Although the Hindu has a certain arm motion associated with it. Are these both essentially the same?

Hey Ben, I really appreciate your work. I am a high school athlete (cross country & track). I've had chronic patellar tendinitis for years and a while back I was able to run an 18:18 5k pain free in that regard. But recently my tendinitis has returned despite my efforts to train during the off season. I need some advice. Should I give up my track season in order to focus on treating my tendinitis and strengthening my weak points or do what I can throughout the season while running. I am also curious how I should train during the off season. How often should I train each muscle group and specifically wide range motions and short range motion? Again I really appreciate what you do :)

Hackenschmidt was an absolute beast in an era long before steroids. Great wrestler.

Great content 👌

Can you make a full in depth video on Jefferson curls?

Would the hack squat replace the need for a VMO squat in a workout (assuming you could do it)? Just asking because I did not see the VMO squat on Ben's standards. Thank you!

Love that feeling. Of doing stuff and being like “back then this would’ve been impossible for me” haha yeaahhhhhh 🎉

I used to do it assisted (pain free) but the pain comes next day (not soreness) , I'll stick with poliquin Step ups for now 👍